Taos Music

Celebrating Utah's Longest-Running Classical Music Festival

The Park City International Music Festival, or, as it is sometimes called, the Park City & Salt Lake City Music Festival, is about to celebrate its 25th Summer Season as Utah's oldest classical music festival. The Festival features outstanding classical soloists from around the world performing together in exciting, spontaneous chamber music concerts presented for intimate audiences in spectacular venues in both the Park City area and Salt Lake City. The Park City & Salt Lake City Music Festival, along with the Autumn Classics Music Festival, the Sonolumina Ensemble and the Park City Film Music Festival, is a project of the Park City Chamber Music Society, a 501-c-3 non-profit organization.

Founded in 1984 by violist Leslie Harlow and Kimball Art Center Assistant Director Carole Cordray, the Park City International Music Festival is Utah's oldest classical music festival. Ms. Cordray died during the year following the first season and the Festival endowment fund is named the Carole Cordray Endowment Fund in her honor.

The Festival has presented over 550 concerts to date both indoors and out, in venues throughout Park City and Salt Lake City, in Coalville, at Carnegie's Weill Hall in New York City, Provo, at Sundance Resort and at Weber State University in Odgen.

Clarinetist Russell Harlow joined the Festival as co-Director in 1986. Mr. Harlow was the Founder/Director of Salt Lake City's Nova Chamber Series. The Nova Chamber Series is also one of Utah's oldest chamber music series.

The Park City Music Festival was first called the Deer Valley Chamber Music Festival and the name was eventually changed to Park City International Music Festival. For several years the Festival season included full orchestra, chamber music, solo recitals and young artist institute events. For 12 years the Festival presented the Young Artist Institute, providing professional-track young artists from around the world with the opportunity to study with and perform alongside the Festival professional artists. Young Artist Institute Alumni now perform professionally throughout the world in chamber groups, professional orchestras, in festivals and as soloists. Over the years the Festival also presented the BRAVO! Program for Beginning and Intermediate Strings and for Winds and Brass.